Ask a Bible college Student

[Emzap]

Yes! There is a course about world religions, and I've studied various worldviews. The arguments are given for all sides, but with the focus being on the Christian worldview. Professors generally explain opposing world views, but continue to show the ways they are inadequate to explain the world we live in.

Can you tell me why you don't accept an allegorical rather than literal reading of the bible (assuming you don't)?

I accept the literal (historical-grammatical) interpretation of the Bible because that was what the author intended. The authors had a message to tell, and I choose to read based on authorial intent rather than reader response. Literal interpretation is the normal, customary sense. It is the only way to objectively interpret Scripture. Allegory doesn't interpret the text, it reads into it. Its not objective. Theres no way of saying what is right or wrong, and there may be various different interpretations. 

When reading and interpreting Scripture I try to understand what the author was trying to say to the original audience. This requires understanding the historical context of the writing. Then I determine the differences between now and then, and look for the theological principle behind the writing. I look at how consistent it is with the rest of scripture, and then last decide how we should understand and live out the principle today.

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Yes! There is a course about world religions, and I've studied various worldviews. The arguments are given for all sides, but with the focus being on the Christian worldview. Professors generally explain opposing world views, but continue to show the ways they are inadequate to explain the world we live in.

Oh, that's nice. But do tell, do the professors also point out ways in which christianity is inadequate to explain the world we live in?

We do look at the arguments against Christianity. However, just like any other belief system (including atheism), faith is needed, because not everything can be explained. There is a lot that we as humans do not know and cannot understand. Generally, as Christians we put our faith in a Bible verse- Deuteronomy 29:29 which says "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law."

We understand that we are not God, and cannot understand everything. The secret things belong to God.